Energy balance of the corona and the origin of quasi-stationary high-speed solar wind streams

The energy balance of open-field regions of the corona and solar wind and the influence of the flow geometry in the corona upon the density and temperature, are analyzed. It is found that the energy flux arriving at the corona is constant for the corona's open regions with different flow geometries. For the waves heating the corona and solar wind, the dependence of the absorption coefficient on the corona's plasma density is found to be within the range of distances r=1.05–1.5R . It is shown that the wave absorption is more dependent on electron density than the coronal emission. It is this difference that causes lower-density coronal holes to be colder than quiet regions. It is found that the additional energy flux necessary for providing energy balance of the corona and for producing solar wind is a flux of Alfvén waves, which can provide the energy needed for producing quasi-stationary high-speed solar wind streams. Theoretical models of coronal holes and the question of why the high-speed solar wind streams are precisely flowing out of coronal holes, are discussed.     

Type III radio bursts in the outer corona

Type III solar radio bursts observed from 3.0 to 0.45 MHz with the ATS-II satellite over the period April–October 1967 have been analyzed to derive two alternative models of active region streamers in the outer solar corona. Assuming that the bursts correspond to radiation near the electron plasma frequency, pressure equilibrium arguments lead to streamer Model I in which the streamer electron temperature derived from collision damping time falls off much more rapidly than in the average corona and the electron density is as much as 25 times the average coronal density at heights of 10 to 50 solar radii (R ). In Model II the streamer electron temperature is assumed to equal the average coronal temperature, giving a density enhancement which decreases from a factor of 10 close to the Sun to less than a factor of two at large distances (> 1/4 AU). When the burst frequency drift is interpreted as resulting from the outward motion of a disturbance that stimulates the radio emission, Model I gives a constant velocity of about 0.35c for the exciting disturbance as it moves to large distances, while with Model II, there is a decrease in the velocity to less than 0.2c beyond 10 R .     

Coronal sources at meter and optical wavelengths during the declining phase of the solar cycle

We present observations of the corona at 169 MHz with the Nançay Radioheliograph during the summer of 1984. We compare synoptic maps of the metric radio emission on the solar disk with synoptic charts of the K-corona as well as of the green and the red lines. Local sources of radio emission are not located near regions of enhanced green or red line emission which, in turn, are in general above chromospheric faculae. Thus the radio emissions located in the surroundings of faculae are apparently related to different loop systems, with lower density. The comparison of the radio data with the K-corona showed one radio source associated with enhanced emission both at 1.3 and at 1.7 R , apparently a streamer. Other radio sources did not show any clear associations, but were nevertheless located within the coronal plasma sheet, delineated by the large-scale K-corona emission. Moreover the large-scale structure of the corona at 169 MHz was quite similar to the coronal plasma sheet observed at 1.3 R above the limb. The extent of the radio emission in latitude is very similar to that of the K-corona, while the coronal line emission is more concentrated near the solar equator.     

TWO-FLUID MODEL FOR HEATING OF THE SOLAR CORONA AND ACCELERATION OF THE SOLAR WIND BY HIGH-FREQUENCY ALFVÉN WAVES

A model of the solar corona and wind is developed which includes for the first time the heating and acceleration effects of high-frequency Alfvén waves in the frequency range between 1 Hz and 1 kHz. The waves are assumed to be generated by the small-scale magnetic activity in the chromospheric network. The wave dissipation near the gyro-frequency, which decreases with increasing solar distance, leads to strong coronal heating. The resulting heating function is different from other artificial heating functions used in previous model calculations. The associated thermal pressure-gradient force and wave pressure-gradient force together can accelerate the wind to high velocities, such as those observed by Helios and Ulysses. Classical Coulomb heat conduction is also considered and turns out to play a role in shaping the temperature profiles of the heated protons. The time-dependent two-fluid (electrons and protons) model equations and the time-dependent wave-spectrum equation are numerically integrated versus solar distance out to about 0.3 AU. The solutions finally converge and settle on time-stationary profiles which are discussed in detail. The model computations can be made to fit the observed density profiles of a polar coronal hole and polar plume with the sonic point occurring at 2.4 R and 3.2 R , respectively. The solar wind speeds obtained at 63 R are 740 km s^-1 and 540 km s^-1; the mass flux is 2.1 and 2.2 × 10⁸ cm^-2 s^-1 (normalized to 1 AU), respectively. The proton temperature increases from a value of 4 × 10⁵ K at the lower boundary to 2 × 10⁶ K in the corona near 2 R .     

Solar flare activity and the structure of the coronal neutral line

In this study we analyse the positions of major flares from 1978 and 1979, with respect to the magnetic structure of the solar corona, as described by a potential field model. We find that major flares exhibit no strong association with the neutral line at the chromospheric level. However, when we calculate the neutral line's position at higher and higher altitudes in the corona, we find that major flares show an increasing tendency to be found close to these high-altitude coronal neutral lines. The correlation between flares and higher-altitude coronal neutral lines reaches a maximum at an altitude of 0.35R , and thereafter decreases as the neutral line is moved out to the source surface at an altitude of 1.50R . This indicates that major flares are strongly associated with coronal structure at the 0.35R level ( 250 000 km) - an altitude surprisingly high in the corona. This reinforces the idea that flares are associated with large-scale coronal magnetic fields and also indicates that the region of coronal magnetic topology important to solar flare processes may be larger than previously thought.     

Type III solar radio burst storms observed at low frequencies

The analysis of a storm of type III solar radio bursts observed in August 1968 between 5 and 0.2 MHz by the RAE-1 satellite has yielded the storm morphology, a possible relation to meter and decameter storms, and an average exciter speed of 0.37 c between 10 and 40 R (Fainberg and Stone, 1970a, b). A continuation of the analysis, based on the apparent dependence of burst drift rate on heliographic longitude of the associated active region, now provides a distance scale between plasma levels in the streamer, an upper limit to the scale size of coronal streamer density inhomogeneities, and an estimate of the solar wind speed. By fixing one level the distance scale is utilized to determine the electron density distribution along the streamer between 10 and 40 R . The streamer density is found to be 16 times that expected for the solar minimum quiet solar wind. An upper limit to the scale size of streamer density inhomogeneities is estimated to be of the order of 1 or 2 solar radii over the same height range. From the progressive delay of the central meridian passage (CMP) of the lower frequency emission, a streamer curvature is inferred which in turn implies an average solar wind speed of 380 km/sec between 14 and 36 R within the streamer.     

The Shape of the Outer Corona during Cycle 21

The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Solwind coronagraph recorded the outer corona at elongations 2_5 R to 10 R during the 6 1/2-year interval from March 1979, before solar maximum, to the beginning of solar minimum in September 1985. During the minimum period, when the solar magnetic field was dipole-like, the observed corona consisted of the equatorial streamer belt that is characteristic of solar minimum, and that is interpreted as an edgewise view of a nearly flat current sheet or coronal disk lying near the plane of the heliographic equator. The observed disk was a radial projection from the magnetic neutral line that was computed for the 2.5 R source surface surrounding the Sun. At earlier times, shortly after solar maximum, the observed corona often consisted of a single coronal disk similar to that at solar minimum, but strongly tilted to the heliographic equator. Again this disk projected from a tilted magnetic neutral line that was computed for the 2.5 R source surface. Solar rotation allowed this coronal disk to be viewed in all aspects. In the edgewise view it appeared as a tilted streamer belt. In the broadside view the more flower-like pattern of solar maximum was observed. The latter view was interpreted as a non-uniform distribution of coronal material in the thin coronal disk. There were many intervals during the declining phase of the solar cycle when the computed magnetic neutral line at 2.5 R remained relatively simple but was not the source of an observable coronal disk. This latter result was probably because of the limitations of plane-of-sky observations, combined with short-term changes in the corona. Altogether, a single coronal disk, either flat or somewhat convoluted, was recognizable during only one third of the year lifetime of the coronagraph.     

Relationship between type III-V radio and hard X-ray bursts

Type III–V radio bursts are found to be closely associated with impulsive hard X-ray bursts. Probably 0.1% to 1% of the fast electrons in the X-ray source region escape to heights > 0.1R in the corona and excite the type III–V burst.     

Radio echo and sporadic radiation scattering in the solar corona

Some properties of solar radio bursts observed at the Earth are mainly due to propagation effects in the corona. A radio echo of short-time narrow-band bursts is observed by a decameter radioheliograph on the basis of UTR-2 antenna. Propagation effects are manifested in the marked regular change of the burst intensity-time profile at 25 MHz during a half-rotation of the Sun. A displacement of limb diffuse bursts deep into the solar atmosphere of 1.5 - 2R has been also found during the burst lifetime.     

Brightness variations of the white light corona during the years 1964–67

Observations of the white light corona were made on over 900 days during the years 1964–67 at heights between 1.125 and 2.0 R with the K-coronameter at Mount Haleakala and Mauna Loa, Hawaii. The brightness distribution of the minimum corona was elliptical with average equatorial intensities three times the polar. Coronal features of the new cycle at 1.125 R occurred predominantly in the sunspot zones at 25–30° latitude and in a high latitude zone which migrated toward the North pole before solar maximum. The brightness of the inner corona doubled over this period and a close association is found between the average corona and 10.7-cm solar radio flux. Electron densities in the equatorial regions were nearly twice those of Van de Hulst's model corona, in agreement with the results of recent eclipse observations.At Hawaii Institute of Geophysics.     

Coronal Faraday rotation of the Crab Nebula, 1971–1975

We observed Faraday rotation of linearly polarized radio waves from the Crab Nebula (Tau A) at 4170 MHz during solar coronal occultations in June 1971–75. Mean amplitudes of the variations of position angle are larger in an active phase of the solar cycle than in a quiet phase. In occultations in 1971 and 1973, the position angle of the polarization varied oscillatory by 20–50 degrees due to local magnetic structures in the corona with a typical scale-length of about 0.5 R . In 1974, we observed a typical variation of position angle of polarization which is expected from a Y-shaped field configuration in coronal streamers.The Faraday rotation is enhanced when the line of sight to Tau A passes through strong coronal magnetic fields computed from magnetograph observations, while the rotation is suppressed when the line of sight passes through large coronal holes observed in X-rays. Short-time oscillation of the rotation angle observed in 1971 and 1973 suggests that neutral sheets in coronal streamers oscillate at a period of 3 hours with an amplitude of 1 R at a distance of 10 R from the Sun.     

Relation between circular polarization of moving type IV bursts and polarity of photospheric magnetic fields

Two-dimensional, high-resolution observations of about 30 moving type IV bursts allow us to compare the polarization structure of the radio sources high in the corona with the distribution of magnetic fields measured at the photospheric level. Left- and right-handed circularly polarized moving type IV bursts are associated with active regions dominated by magnetic fields of plus and minus polarity respectively. The result suggests that the polarity of magnetic fields within the type IV source which moves high in the corona ( 1R above the photosphere) is closely related to the polarity of local magnetic fields at the photosphere. The above relation between the sense of polarization and the polarity of magnetic field is contrary to what would be expected from the generally accepted synchroton hypothesis. One way of resolving this conflict is to postulate that the magnetic field within the radio source has the opposite polarity to that of the ambient magnetic fields.     

Solar brightness distribution at 8.6 mm from interferometer observations

The radial brightness distribution of the quiet Sun at 8.6 mm is synthesized from observations using a sixteen element east-west interferometer in Nagoya. The observed brightness is flat from the disk center to 0.8R . A slight darkening appeared between 0.8R and the limb. No evidence of the bright ring near the limb is found. The radio radius at 8.6 mm is 1.015±0.005R . In addition there exists a coronal component just outside the radio limb.     

Heated solar atmosphere: A one-fluid model

A one-fluid model of the solar atmosphere is considered. The corona is heated by waves propagating out from the Sun, and profiles for temperature, flow speed and number density are obtained. For a relatively quiet Sun the inwards heat flux in the inner corona is constant in T 5–6 × 10⁵ K and the temperature maximum is reached for r — R = 0.4 — 0.5 R where R is the solar radius. The number density in the inner corona decreases with an increasing particle flux.     

Note on solar plasma irregularities and plasma instabilities

Observations of interplanetary scintillation of radio sources are used to estimate the size of plasma irregularities down to a distance of about 6 R from the Sun. This is compared with the values of the ion gyro-radius estimated for a range of distance from 1 AU to about 6 R from the Sun. The results of the calculations are discussed in the context of the hypothesis of plasma instability which is invoked to interpret the observations of the scattering of radio waves in the solar corona and of interplanetary scintillations.     

Evolution of coronal helmets during the ascending phase of solar cycle 20

The principal polar-crown coronal helmet structures were selected from nearly three years (May, 1965–January, 1968) of K-coronameter observations made at Haleakala and Mauna Loa, Hawaii. Six isolated and long-lived helmet systems were found at latitudes of 45° and above. Their developments are compared with underlying chromospheric and photospheric activity and a simple phenomenological model is presented showing that a coronal system is formed over an active region. Thereafter the center of gravity of the system gradually drifts poleward with the trailing unipolar magnetic region (UMR), and it becomes a high latitude coronal helmet, arched over a polar crown filament.By comparison of these coronal helmets with observations of the outer corona (to circa 4 R ) made at solar eclipse, lunar sunset, and with balloon and rocket-borne externally occulted corona-graphs, it appears that ground-based K-coronameter measurements to a distance of 1.5–2.0 R are sufficient to detect the coronal streamers.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

Type III solar radio burst storms observed at low frequencies

Storms of type III solar radio bursts observed from 5.4 ot 0.2 MHz consist of a quasi-continuous production of type III events observable for half a solar rotation but persisting in some cases for well over a complete rotation (Fainberg and Stone, 1970). The observed burst drift rates are a function of the heliographic longitude of the associated active region. This apparent drift rate dependence is a consequence of the radio emission propagation time from source to observer. Based on this dependence, a least squares analysis of 2500 drift rates between frequencies in the 2.8 to 0.7 MHz range yields an average exciter speed of 0.38 c for the height range from approximately 11 to 30 R . In conjunction with the available determinations of exciter speeds of 0.33 c close to the sun, i.e. less than 3 R , and with in situ measurements of 40 keV solar electrons by space probes, the present results suggest that the exciters are electron packets which propagate with little deceleration over distances of at least 1 AU.     

A study of the background corona near solar minimum

The white light coronagraph data from Skylab is used to investigate the equatorial and polarK andF coronal components during the declining phase of the solar cycle near solar minimum. Measurements of coronal brightness and polarization brightness product between 2.5 and 5.5R during the period of observation (May 1973 to February 1974) lead to the conclusions that: (1) the equatorial corona is dominated by either streamers or coronal holes seen in projections on the limb approximately 50% and 30% of the time, respectively; (2) despite the domination by streamers and holes, two periods of time were found which were free from the influences of streamers or holes (neither streamers nor holes were within 30° in longitude of the limb); (3) the derived equatorial background density model is less than 15% below the minimum equatorial models of Newkirk (1967) and Saito (1970); (4) a spherically symmetric density model for equatorial coronal holes yields densities one half those of the background density model; and (5) the inferred brightness of theF-corona is constant to within ±10% and ±5% for the equatorial and polar values, respectively, over the observation period. While theF-corona is symmetric at 2R it begins to show increasing asymmetry beyond this radius such that at 5R the equatorialF-coronal brightness is 25% greater than the polar brightness.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

VLBI observations of turbulence in the inner solar wind

I discuss the use of Very Long Baseline Interferometer (VLBI) phase scintillations to probe the conditions of plasma turbulence in the solar wind. Specific results from 5.0 and 8.4 GHz observations with the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) are shown. There are several advantages of phase scintillation measurements. They are sensitive to fluctuations on scales of hundreds to thousands of kilometers, much larger than those probed by IPS intensity scintillations. In addition, with the frequency versatility of the VLBA one can measure turbulence from the outer corona 5–10R to well past the perihelion approach of the Helios spacecraft. This permits tests of the consistency of radio propagation and direct in-situ measurements of turbulence. Such a comparison is made in the present paper. Special attention is dedicated to measuring the dependence of the normalization coefficient of the density power spectrum,C _N ² on distance from the sun. Our results are consistent with the contention published several years ago by Aaron Roberts, that there is insufficient turbulence close to the sun to account for the heating and acceleration of the solar wind. In addition, an accurate determination of theC _N ² (R) relationship could aid the detection of transients in the solar wind.     

Polar Plumes and Inter-plume regions as observed by SUMER on SOHO

We present observations of Ovi 1032 Å line profiles obtained with the SUMER instrument on SOHO extending from the solar disk to 1.5 R above the limb in the north polar coronal hole. Variations of the intensity and linewidth in the polar plume and inter-plume regions are investigated. We find an anti-correlation between the intensity and the linewidth in the plume and inter-plume regions with detailed plume structures been seen out to 1.5 R . Possible implications regarding the magnetic topologies of these two regions and related heating mechanisms are discussed. The Ovi linewidth measurements are combined with UVCS output to provide an overview of its variations with height extending up to 3.5 R . We find a linear increase of the linewidth from 1 to 1.2 R , then a plateau followed by a sharp increase around 1.5 R .